Drowning Awareness

Drowning Awareness

Awareness is Key to Drowning Prevention

Barbara Stiffler, APN-C

HealthCare Partners Pediatrics

No matter the season in Southern Nevada, drowning remains an unfortunate year-round possibility. While summertime is typically when families are outdoors swimming, fishing and boating, the truth is,parents and caregivers should be vigilant daily to prevent potential drownings.Even in the most careful of homes, children (young and old) can get into life threatening situations due to unforeseen dangers in and around the home.

Drowning Facts

Drowning is the number one cause of unintentionaldeath in children ages 1 to 4 years and fifth among all ages in the U.S. according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Locally, the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD)keeps statistics on both near-drowning and drowning occurrences. In 2018, the SNHD reported a total of 51 submersion incidents. Of those, 11 children died with 88% of them under the age of 5 years. Since Southern Nevada has one of the highest number of residential swimming pools, it’s no surprise that most drownings occur at home, but pools aren’t the only place drownings occur. Toilets, bathtubs, and mop buckets present riskstoo. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP),there were over 8,700 kids 18 years and younger seen in emergency roomsnationwide for a submersion event in 2017. Sadly, this resulted in 1,000 deaths.

Silent Killer

Most drownings occur when a child has unexpected access to water and it doesn’t matter if it’s the dead of winter. Many parents and caregivers are unaware that drowning happens quickly and silently even in near-freezing water. Since children under age 5 have disproportionately larger heads and shorter arms, their center of gravity is higher. This means if they slip into a pool, bathtub, toilet or bucket, they don’t typically have the strength to lift their heads. If they manage to get their head vertical, they cannot call out because they are trying to keep their mouths above water and their panic uses most of their energy. In lakes and pool, children cannot wave because they’re trying to stay afloat so they quietly sink.

Drowning is Preventable!

Despite this sobering news, drowning is one of the few incidents that can be prevented! Nationally, the American Academy of Pediatrics is partnering with families who have lost children to drowning to promote drowning prevention awareness. Locally, HealthCare Partners also relies on the collaborative organizations that monitor submersion rates and provide educational resources to families wanting to keep their loved ones safe.

The A, B, C, Ds of Drowning Prevention

What can be done to prevent drowning depends a lot on the developmental level of the child and the environment they’re in. These layers or protection are easily remembered as the A, B, C, Ds of drowning prevention:

A – Adult Supervision. Assign a responsible adult to be the official water watcher for children swimming. Drownings have occurred during parties when others assumed “someone” was watching the kids. Remember that bathtubs, toilets and mop buckets also present risks. Never leave a child unattended to answer the door during bathtime or worse, be preoccupied looking at a mobile device instead of the child. Empty mop buckets when not in use and install a clip to keep the toilet lid secured to avoid tempting curious tots.

B – Barriers. Local building code requires that pools have a stable fencing around its perimeter with a self-closing, self-latching lock to prevent unintended access.When near lakes, streams or on boats, make sure everyone is wearing a U.S. Coastguard-approved life vest. Lastly, remove enticements like toys from the pool and tub when not in use.

C – Classes. Learn infant and child CPR. Teach your kids how to swim and the rules of the house when it comes to safety measures. Practice rescue procedures with the whole family and assign who will call and wait for 9-1-1, who will render aid, etc. During a crisis, emotions will get the best of the calmest person and practice will help ensure preparedness.

D – Devices. Have lifesaving equipment like rescue rings in close proximity to the pool or other bodies of water. Put a motion detector on doors leading outside and be sure to secure doggy doors. Use U.S. Coastguard-approved life vests, not floaties. Have easy access to a telephone. If relying on mobile phones, signals are not always reliable so make sure there is a landline accessible and you know the address of your location.

Age-Appropriate and Special Needs

Children with special needs such as autism are at higher risk. In fact, the National Autism Association reports drowning to be a leading cause of death of individuals with autism. But water safety applies to all individuals, especially children 18 years and younger.

Toddlers – This age group is very curious and can get into trouble easily. Therefore, there should be “layers of protection” to keep them safe and that starts with having a responsible adult watching them. The child needs close, constant and vigilant attention.Developmentally, children should be able to learn to swim around the age of one and learn how to get to the side or float until help arrives, so swimming lessons are essential.

School Age – Choose safe places to swim, with lifeguards. Even if there are lifeguards, the child should be constantly watched by a responsible adult who is not looking at their phone, reading a book or sleeping. Life jackets should be worn if the child is not a good swimmer and swimming lessons are always a good idea.

Teens – Most teen drownings occur in lakes and rivers wherethere is no adult supervision or alcohol is involved. Teens are developmentally more risk-taking so they may over-estimate their swimming abilities and be compromised due to fatigue. Teens should pick safe places to swim where there are lifeguardsand there should be no big waves, unexpected currents or undertows. Teens should not rely on noodles or rafts as life preservers and they should not be diving head-first into any unknown body of water nor should they swim alone or consume alcohol or recreational drugs before doing so. Both young adults and parents or caregiversshould learn CPR. The American Heart Association offers convenient and trusted CPR instruction as do many community centers and church groups.

While summertime might be the season when most people are aware of drowning’s potential, recognizingthat it is a year-round threat can make it easier to ensuring your family’s safety. With the proper planning and prevention, your year should only be filled with happy and safe memories!

About the author: Barbara Stiffler, APN-C is a nurse practitioner with HealthCare Partners Pediatrics and has been in practice for nearly four decades. She’s a graduate of University of Missouri, Sinclair School of Nursing where she obtained both her RN and Masters of Science Nursing as an Advanced Practitioner of Nursing. She is board certified in Pediatric Nursing and has been with HealthCare Partners since 2017.

About the author

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